Peas in a high strung pod
by Undercover-Dark-Knight
Summary: A traditional Kent/Fiora pairing. Won't boast and say it's extensively researched, but I try my best. Rated T for safety. As title suggests, will at some point involve Farina.. and other characters. Chapter 4 has been re-worked. R & R please! DISCONTINUED
1. Chapter 1

I was inspired to write this a few days ago on my umpteenth playthrough of Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken. Its a very traditional Kent x Fiora fanfic, and i intend to keep it that way. I intend to cover their relationship throughout the conflict (assuming Hector's storyline), with a few "distractions" to their relationship thrown in. May write an epilogue, but thats a LONG way away.

Reviews and constructive criticism appreciated. Constructive criticism means no "Your story sucks" or "Your writing style sucks" without a detailed explanation as to WHY it is. Acutally, you can say whatever you like, so long as you give a reasonable explanation. And please do point out all the various grammatical error that may have escaped a sleep-deprived HSC student to remind me that im not that good at english...

Anyway, enough of my blabbering. Here's Chapter 1.

Expect updates to be reasonably frequent (4-6 weeks, maybe even more frequent) until completion.

Disclaimer: Just like everyone else (apart from Intelligent Systems) says, I don't own Fire Emblem.

* * *

Silence.

The fog surrounding the Dread Isle hid Fiora from the view of any remaining Black Fang, but it could not hide her from her own shame.

"I'm a failure… I'm a failure…" she repeated in her head.

Lord Pent, the Mage General of Eturia, had hired Fiora and her comrades on a scouting mission of the Dread Isle because there had been reports of strange activity on the island recently. But they had been ambushed. All of her wing… dead because she had miscalculated...

"I'm a failure…" she repeated.

She closed her eyes. What would she do now? She wouldn't, no, couldn't return to Ilia in her current state. Not only had she failed her mission, but she didn't think she would ever be able to face the loved ones of her subordinates. She would probably be demoted to an ordinary knight again, and reassigned to another wing.

She would go back and kill as many of those men as she could, she thought. After all, she had lost everything. Her reputation, the trust of her superiors, and most importantly, her friends. There was no real future for her, and even if there was, it was a bleak one. She turned her pegasus around, back toward the island. Yes, she would hunt down as many of those men as she could.

As she neared the island, she could make out the clash of metal on metal, and wondered who was causing the commotion. She didn't think that the Black Fang would fight among themselves; they were far too organised for that. And it definitely wasn't soldiers sent to reinforce her; Lord Pent had hired mercenaries because of a need for secrecy. She had been only provided with just enough details necessary for the completion of the mission.

As the island came into view, she gasped. There were a group of soldiers, no, mercenaries on the island, fighting the people that had ambushed her earlier. As she observed the battle from afar, she noticed that the attackers were not a regimented troop. They had all sorts of units, ranging from cavaliers and archers to magic users. Heck, they even had a pegasus knight! Who would put together such a group, and why of all places, would they come to the Dread Isle?

It didn't matter. She had come to avenge her comrades, and that was what she was going to do. Tightening the grip on her lance, she whispered, "I found them... These men are Black Fang... Look, everyone. Your sacrifices were not in vain. I'll fulfill our duty, even if I must do it myself. I am a true knight of Ilia!" hoping that her recently departed comrades would be able to hear her from heaven as they looked down at their failure of a commander.

She dived in from the sky skewering an unsuspecting shaman, and before any of his comrades had the chance to react she had darted back up into the safety of the skies. It was then that she noticed it. Another white blur, darting in and out of the battle, except there was a streak of pale violet among the white. She would recognise that colour anywhere.

There was no mistaking it. That was Florina, her youngest sister.

"Florina!" she screamed.

The younger girl had just come back again up after skewering a nomad that had escaped the notice of the other members when she turned around in her saddle and froze.

"Sister ?" she said uncertainly, and as she recognised the face, her expression of fear grew into one of elation. "Fiora!" she squeaked in delight.

Fiora's motherly instinct took over. "Florina! Why are you here?" she scolded her younger sister. Florina's smile dropped a little. Apparently, her older sister still saw her as a meek, timid pegasus knight-in-training.

"I'm here with Lady Lyndis. What are you doing here?"

"I was investigating the Dread Isle for someone," she replied vaguely.

"By yourself?" frowned her younger sister. The Fiora she knew would never have been that reckless.

She sighed. "No... There were others... a full unit of pegasus knights." She closed here eyes. "We were attacked..."

A look of horror spread across Florina's face. "You can't mean..." she trailed off as Fiora nodded.

"I misjudged our situation. ...All of my knights are dead because of me... They even sacrificed their lives just so that I could escape… I'm a failure."

"No!" cried her younger sister. "That's not true! You're a splendid pegasus knight! I chose this path because I admired you so! Please... don't do this to yourself!"

Fiora opened her eyes again, and saw the tears roll down her sister's cheeks. "Florina, please don't cry."

"I'm sorry," she whispered between sniffles.

"No, it's my fault. The pain of being the sole survivor... It had me trapped. ...Thank you, Florina. I can see clearly now."

The two sat in silence for a few seconds, almost oblivious to the battle raging on below. Eventually, Fiora sighed. "I must avenge the deaths of my comrades… that's why I came back. Even if it may cost me my life…" she trailed off sadly.

Florina shook her head. " No ! Fiora! Come and travel with us! It's better to travel with friends than to struggle alone."

She paused, and then breathed a sigh of resignation "You're right. I can't let my companions' sacrifices be in vain. Florina, please introduce me to your commander. I'll see if I can offer my services for a short while."

"Uh, you might want to speak to Ewan first. He's the tactician of our group, so yeah…"

Fiora nodded. "I see. That way I can co-ordinate my attacks with the rest of your group."

"Let's go, sister. He's over there, by Merlinus' tent."

Ewan sat there, cursing the piece of parchment he had been poring over for the last few minutes. While he couldn't see through the fog entirely, he could hear the sounds of battle getting further and further away, and was pretty sure his army, if it could be called that, was winning. He continued to study the map of the Dread Isle that had been retrieved when they ransacked Castle Laus.

"Master Ewan, Lady Florina's returning, and she seems to be bringing another pegasus knight with her," reported Marcus.

That caught Ewan's attention. They had all seen the abundance of pegasi feathers when they had landed on the island. As Florina and the stranger approached, he couldn't help but notice the resemblance between the two. The stranger, however, exuded an air of confidence and authority just from the way she walked.

Noticing the two, Fiora immediately assumed that the paladin was the master strategian and bowed politely. "Master Ewan, it is a pleasure to meet you. My sister Florina tells me that you have business on this island and…"

"Forgive me for interrupting, but I am not Master Ewan," Marcus cut in, "this young man is." He motioned to the teenager-bordering-on-adult sitting at the table, poring over the map.

Ewan held up a hand as Fiora began to stammer an apology. "Don't worry about it, I get that a lot. Anyway, yes we do have business here, and of course you're welcome to join our ranks. In fact, if you don't mind, you can begin your duties in assisting us in this battle right now. We can settle payment later."

"I am grateful for your generous offer," replied Fiora.

"Well then, Florina, I would like you to return to you previous position and continue to assist Lyn and Dart in seizing that little island in to the southwest. If they're done, head east a little and help out in the main battle," Florina nodded, and began to leave. "Fiora, I would like you to head directly west and rendezvous with Sain and Kent, a pair of cavaliers and continue to push down our flank. You can't miss them, one's clad in green armor and the other in red. Oh, and be careful of the green one. He's a self-confessed failure of a womaniser. If you feel threatened or distracted by his advances please don't hesitate to point it out to his friend, who will put him back into place. Any questions?"

"About my sister…" Fiora began.

"Oh, you mean Florina?" Fiora nodded. Ewan sighed. "Yes, I'm aware that she has a fear of men, but her fear of the opponents' males seems to outweigh her fear of her comrades so that hasn't been an issue… except with Sain… but I have told Kent to keep his companion in check, so its been alright so far. By the way, Lyn is just as protective of her as you seem to be, so she's been pretty well looked after. Satisfied?"

She nodded. "Then I shall take my leave, Master Ewan"

"One in green, one in red" Fiora repeated to herself as she scanned the ground below her. There were several corpses scattered around the area and Fiora noticed that there were two distinct causes of death. Some looked like they had been hacked to pieces via several brutish cuts, while the others had been killed a little more systematically and clinically, often with several thrusts and slashes.

As she drew near to the sounds of battle ahead, she immediately recognised the cavaliers. They were both engaged in fighting multiple opponents. The green one had just hacked the head off a pirate coming in from the shore, and rushed immediately to confront a pair of sword-wielding mercenaries without even bothering to switch to a lance. The red one was far more level headed than his green comrades and was currently confronting a myrmidon with his lance while dodging a mage who had set fire to several nearby trees in his attempt to kill the cavalier.

As she flew closer, she noticed that an archer was creeping up behind the red knight and was preparing to nock an arrow. Almost on instinct, she plunged from the sky and hurtled toward the archer. The archer looked and saw the danger but didn't have the time to get away as Fiora embedded her lance into his skull, pausing to wrench it out before darting back into the skies again.

The knight, having dealt with the myrmidon, proceeded to attack the mage, but was having difficulty in approaching him without getting burnt. Fiora saw the struggle and flew to his aid. Instead of hurtling down this time, she pulled out a javelin and flung it at the distracted mage. With a satisfying thud, the mage slumped over, no longer a threat.

Fiora flew down and landed near knight, who had begun speaking. "Many thanks, Sain, although I never knew you carried a…" He paused in mid-sentence and looked up. The woman before him was definitely not Sain, although she did look somewhat familiar.

After several seconds of awkward silence, Fiora finally mustered the courage to speak. "I was sent by Ewan to support a pair of cavaliers who were pushing back the enemy on the flank. I suppose that would be you and your friend over there."

"Yes, that would be correct," Kent replied stiffly. "I am Kent, a sworn knight of Caelin."

"Oh, so you're Kent? It's nice to meet you!" Fiora replied.

"Forgive my rudeness, but who are you?"

"Ah, forgive me. I am Fiora, a former pegasus knight commander." She paused. "You have been looking after my sister. Allow me to thank you."

Kent raised his eyebrows momentarily when he heard the words "former pegasus knight commander", but hid almost as quickly as it had appeared. "Ah, yes... When we were in Caelin, Florina spoke of you often. She said that you were a lot like me."

"Oh?" Fiora was surprised at this remark. Florina had actually managed to have meaningful conversation with him? This knight must be something, she thought. "Did she say in what regard?"

Kent shook his head. "I'm not really sure," he replied, "I just remember that she mentioned it several times." He paused. "Well, Fiora. It is an honor to meet you, and I thank you humbly for saving me from a difficult fight earlier. Truth be told, I wasn't entirely sure that I would win. Let us ride on to victory."

Fiora felt comfortable talking to the knight, but wasn't sure why. "Yes, let's. I think that, together, we can fulfill any duty."

* * *

And so ends the first chapter. Review and I'll be happy, even if its a scathing attack.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 is up. It's short (a little less than 1.5k), and really COULD have been combined with chapter 3, but due to extensive re-working going on, I've decided to post this up as a separate chapter. There's also the issue of Chapter 3 being 2.5k and counting, and showing no signs of slowing down.

Read and review please.

N.B. 1: Nobody apart from Raven, Priscilla and Lucius are technically supposed to know about Priscilla and Raven's relationship. That's why Fiora doesn't say anything about it.

N.B. 2: I know that in Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken, as far as Fiora and Farina are concerned, Lyn is pretty much a non-person. I've always found this a little odd (especially considering how both Fiora and Lyn are like surrogate mothers to Florina), so I decided to split and imply that they knew each other well, which would makes more sense. I know there are alternate theories out there, but having them know one another has its advantages, as you'll see later on... tee hee hee...

N.B. 3: Warmed milk sounds more plausible than hot chocolate/coffee in terms of availability, though it's less palatable. But somehow, i don't think Kent and Fiora will mind too much.

Before this list gets longer than the actual chapter, I'll shut up.

Disclaimer: Like everyone else says, I don't own Fire Emblem. Heck, I probably dont even own Ewan.

* * *

It had been almost a week since Fiora had joined the company. Lyn, of course, she knew from her childhood, being almost like a third sister. Fiora had also met the other two lords, Hector and Eliwood, and from her observation they were as different as night and day. Lord Eliwood was courteous and polite, while Lord Hector seemed a bit more on the brash side, but she could tell that he meant well too.

It was quite strange, actually. Lord Eliwood had just lost his father, and, as far as Fiora could discern, the same people who took Lord Elbert's life were after the three lordlings, and the assassins were very well organsied. In fact, they were bold enough to attempt an assassination on the lords during the night they had spent in Port Badon. Due to that incident, they had been forced to move on, constantly pursued, and avoided all major towns and cities.

The evening had settled in, and the subdued mood that had fallen over the entire company had mostly disappeared. Around the main fire, many of the company were in merry spirits for the ban on ale had been lifted – for the night. They had just entered Ostian territory, and Lord Uther had immediately assigned an escort to guard them, more in fear of his brother's rash actions than assassins. Some, like Sain, were taking full advantage of this, getting completely drunk. Even Lyn looked like she had taken a sip… or two.

Fiora sat away from the main group at a smaller campfire, and stared into it. She detested the drink. She didn't understand why people enjoyed it. It befuddled one's sense and excess consumption led to a hangover. It destroyed the lives of families, which she knew well from family experience. Fiora's father had been an alcoholic, and from a young age she watched as the drink slowly destroyed his health and the family fortune. Eventually her mother had to resign her commission as a pegasus knight and move away from her husband to raise the sisters. Fiora, being the eldest, helped as best as she could, but she swore never to touch that vile liquid in her life.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't see the red cavalier approach her. "Fiora, forgive me for prying, but you seem lost in thought tonight. May I inquire as to what seems to be troubling you? At the very least, have something warm to drink. It helps calm the mind," Kent held out a steaming mug, which Fiora accepted, and Kent sat down.

Since her joining the company, she found herself fighting alongside the cavalier quite often as Ewan had picked out the two as a "responsible" pair, assigning them to flanks and other outrider-style positions. Although she was loath to admit it, she did enjoy working around the knight. That's not to say they had some sort of relationship going. Being morally pure individuals meant that it was strictly one of comrades, nothing more.

Fiora didn't even bother to ask what the drink was. She knew that Kent hated ale just as much as she did. It was most likely tea, or maybe warm milk. "I was thinking about the past," she replied evasively.

Kent nodded. "Yes, I remember you mentioning that you were a former pegasus knight commander." At this, Fiora flinched. Sensing her hesitation, Kent swung into damage-control-mode and hastily added. "I'm sorry. If it's too painful a topic…."

Fiora shook her head. "No, no, it's alright. You couldn't have known." She closed her eyes, then opened them again, and sighed. "I suppose that I may as well tell you, since keeping it bottled up inside won't really help either."

Kent just nodded.

"I used to lead the 5th division of Ilia's pegasus knights. I was hired to investigate the Dread Isle by another employer, to do some scouting and report back on any signs of strange activity. I failed to conduct the proper scouting… and… and we were ambushed."

Kent was shocked. "You mean that…"

She nodded, and a tear fell down her cheek. "Yes, they were all killed. I was the only one who survived. Technically, I am still the commander of the 5th wing, but the wing itself is currently comprised of me and me only." She laughed bitterly, and then her face fell. "When I return to Ilia, I will be demoted for sure, but more importantly, I don't think I can ever bring myself to face the loved ones of those who were under my command."

Kent knew what she meant. "I, too, have been in a similar predicament, having to watch friends die. When I was escorting Lady Lyndis on her journey to Caelin, we were confronted by some of the men that Sain and I trained with. Perhaps it is less difficult to slay misguided friends that it is to watch helplessly as they are slaughtered, but facing their loved ones is no less difficult, especially as the knight commander, so in that regard, I share your predicament."

Fiora smiled a little. "But do you not have Sain to share your sorrows with?"

Kent looked across to the main campfire, where Sain was having trouble walking in a straight line. Rebecca was snuggling up next to Wil, and Serra was chasing Erk around as usual. Raven was alternating his death stares between the myrmidon stargazing with a certain troubadour and Lord Hector. "Truth be told, Sain was less affected by it than I, and did not have to report the deaths to loved ones. Perhaps he has his own way of dealing with it. That, and he's drunk at the moment."

Fiora looked up from her mug of tea and glared disapprovingly as the frivolities going on. "I hate alcohol. It ruins lives."

Kent nodded again. "I've seen it from the inside."

"As have I." replied Fiora.

An awkward silence descended between them, as the both continued to stare at the glowing embers of the fire.

"Tell me…" they both began simultaneously.

"I apologise." Kent quickly cut in. "You go first."

"No, no, its alright. You go first."

A few more seconds of silence settled between them. Finally, Kent gave in. "Tell me, was the alcoholic in your family your father? I really don't mean to pry or anything, so if you feel uncomfortable…"

Fiora shook her head. "It's alright. Yes, our father was the alcoholic. He wasted away everything. His health, the family fortune, his job, mum's job, everything. It happens quite often in Ilia. Many married men can't take the fact that their spouse is the main breadwinner, and turn to drink. Once it starts, there's no turning back. What about you, Sir Kent? Was your father the alcoholic too?"

Kent felt his face turn a little red being addressed as "Sir". Few people bothered with the title, apart from servants. "Please, just call me Kent. My father wasn't an alcoholic to begin with, but he ran into bad debts, and to him the drink was an escape from reality. Eventually he used more and more of the income he earned to buy more and more of the liquid, believing that he could stave off his debts that way. I am grateful to Lord Hausen that he cleared my family of debt when I was sworn into the knighthood. By then, my father's health had failed, and I was saddened that he could not be there at my knighting ceremony."

The two continued to sit in silence after this. While neither of them said any more, it felt good to know how similar their lives had been. By now the embers had died out, and a chill wind had set in. Kent stood up, downing the rest of his mug. "It's beginning to get late. We should go get some rest."

Fiora nodded and stood up. "Kent, if I may say something…"

"Hmmm?"

"Thank you for tonight. Talking to you has eased my burdens, even if only a little."

"I'm glad that I could be of service, Fiora. And it seems that your sister was right. We are very similar indeed."

Fiora was grateful that the darkness hid her blush. "Yes, it certainly does seem that way. Good night, Kent."

"Good night." Kent turned around to see that Sain had stopped lurching around and had passed out, lying a short distance from their tent. At least he hadn't vomited. Kent scowled and walked over to his companion. Hauling him by the shoulders, he dragged him off to their tent, with Sain continuing to mumble gibberish in his drunken stupor.

* * *

Yeah, i know. No action, but char development (however boring/cliched) is just as important, if not more. It's about their relationship throughout the adventures, not the action. Go play the game if you're looking for action.

As an aside, does anyone know if Fiora's pegasus has a name?

The draft for Chapter 3 is in progress. The main difficulty is that their B support conversation seems a little too lengthy to take place in a real battle, but the only way i can take it out of battle is to completely hack it to pieces and almost lose the whole point of the B support altogether. A similar story goes for their A support, but it's easier to modify so that it takes place out of battle. So it might be a while before i update again.


	3. Chapter 3

Well, here's Chapter 3. It took a while, but its not 3000 words, and im satisfied with it. There's a little more action in this one, and yes, im assuming that the tactician is so incompetent as to let Eubans escape (technically a plot spoiler, but who cares). I tried to follow the actual map of Chapter 21, and I hope that people recognise the various area referred to (apart from the northern gate and the field beyond). Either that, or you can imagine up your own map from the descriptions privided.

Also, I think I'll stay without a name for Fiora's pegasus until it becomes a necessity.

As an aside, i'd like to see more reviews, especially more recurring reviewers.

Disclaimer: Like everyone else (apart from Intelligent Systems) says, I don't own Fire Emblem.

* * *

The next few days were relatively quiet, and on reaching the Ostian castle, most people were glad to be able to spend a night or two there. Of course, there was no real respite since, as we can all guess, they were attacked.

Kent had spent most of that morning reprimanding Sain for his flirtatious behaviour. But just as he had finished, he caught Wil strolling down the hallway, arm in arm with Rebecca. He threw a disapproving stare at Wil, who had recently been far too intimate with the female archer. Kent made a mental note to have a little talk with the archer later tonight.

He sighed. Such behaviour had become more and more common among the company, something which he thought highly inappropriate.

At that moment the castle bell sounded with a series of systematic, but urgent clanging sounds. It was the unmistakable warning of an impeding attack.

A guard rushed down the corridor. "It's an attack! We're under attack! All of Lord Hector's companions are to report to the great hall immediately! We will set up a perimeter defense while…" Kent didn't even wait for the guard to finish. Signalling the archers to follow him, he rushed down the hallway.

Ewan was there, shouting directions already. "Alright, we don't need to drive them away, we just need to hold our ground for long enough to ensure reinforcements arrive. Oswin, Hector, I need the pair of you to guard the throne room. Nils is there as well, but Ninian has requested not to move him. Florina's doing her best to comfort the poor girl as we speak. Sain, Bartre, Lowen, Erk, Canas. I want the five of you to set up a defence in this hall right here. It must not, I repeat, must not fall. Legault, Matthew. I want the two of you to sneak around the west and secure the treasure room. Do your best to distract the enemies there after that. Lyn, Raven, Guy, Dorcas, Priscilla. I need you people to defend the eastern corridor. It would be appreciated if you could disable the ballista over there, but it's not a must, since the wind's against them. Eliwood, Isadora, Marcus, and Serra. I need you to secure the western hall. You don't have to defend it, just bar the doors so we don't get overwhelmed all at once. I then want you to lead an assault on the main courtyard. If Rebecca and Wil can secure the ballistae there, we should be able to hold out that much longer. Kent, Fiora, Dart, I need the three of you to go north. Dart will watch the gate, while you two will head further north and scout. I don't think there'll be any assault from there, but it's just in case. Lord Uther is also coming from that direction with only a small group of attendants, so if you happen upon him your number one priority becomes guarding him. Everyone, move out!"

While Dart muttered something about Ewan taking Fargus' sightseeing comment too seriously, Kent and Fiora both nodded. That was yet another thing that they had in common. In fact, Kent had begun taking note of the various things that he and Fiora had in common since the night they discussed their respective pasts. They were both early risers. They placed their mounts' needs before their own. They both fought with the same systematic, clinical approach on the battlefield. They both had a strong sense of duty. And their pasts were quite similar too. The length of the list was surprising, to say the least.

They were saddling their mounts when it occurred to him that Fiora would probably share some of his concerns about the intimacy of sexes. Although this was hardly the appropriate time, Kent knew it would be a while before he would have another opportunity to talk to her in private. Sain was too near, too often, and Florina spent most of her time either following her sister or Lady Lyndis around.

Kent cleared his throat. "Fiora. If I may say something…"

Fiora didn't even look up. "Go on," she said.

"It's about this army. Do you ever feel like some here lack proper moral grounding?"

Fiora nodded as she hopped onto her mount. She too had noticed the intimacy of several members among the company and found it a little unsettling. "Yes, the same thought has occurred to me," she replied. "As a hired lance, I thought it not my place to speak."

"Camaraderie on the field is one thing, but the men and women of this company are altogether too… intimate."

By now both of them had finished saddling and were riding out of the stables. "Indeed. Their minds are not focused on their duties."

"It is a problem." Kent admitted.

"A problem indeed," Fiora seconded, as they rode through the gate. Dart was already there, still muttering about missing out on the action and something about "pointless guard duty".

There was a brief period of silence as they searched the nearby area around the castle gate. It was clear of troops, at least.

Kent cleared his throat. "I have decided to seek the counsel of Lady Lyndis in this matter. Perhaps she could issue some order limiting interactions between the sexes."

"Yes, I'm sure Lyn… I mean, yes, that would be a good way to ensure the proper conduct of all." She kept forgetting to refer to Lyn by her proper title. To her, Lady Lyndis was still Lyn, her friend from the plains.

"Of course, we would still have to iron out the details of such an order," Kent hesitated, but decided to continue on. "I hope you would not mind lending me your assistance."

"Of course," Fiora replied, "but it might be difficult to find time to discuss this on the battlefield. Perhaps later, when we can be alone…" Fiora suddenly realised she sounded somewhat forward, and abruptly cut herself off. She turned away, hoping that he wouldn't see her blush.

Fortunately for her, Kent decided to ignore any potentially seedier implications of her statement. "Yes, of course. I would be truly grateful to have the company of a morally pure individual like yourself... hmmm , is it just me, or is there a lone rider coming from the castle? It doesn't seem like one of ours."

Fiora looked up and noted there was a small dust cloud behind the man. "He seems to be in a hurry. Do you think that the castle has been secured?"

"It's possible, but we should engage him nonetheless. Remember that Lord Uther will be coming from the opposite direction, so… Fiora! Look out!"

Kent's warning came just in time, and her pegasus swung right as the mysterious rider's spear whistled through the air. The man had closed the distance in a remarkably short time, and from the decorations on his horse he could tell the man was a paladin, and a hostile one at that.

Kent rode forward to engage the man, who turned out to be a formidable opponent indeed. Not only was he holding his own against both the cavalier and the pegasus knight, blocking both their blows, he was even taking the offensive on some occasions.

The paladin threw a second spear at the pegasus knight, and this time she wasn't fast enough. Fiora clenched her teeth as the spear impacted with her shoulder. It was fortunate that the paladin's throw was off aim, because it didn't shatter her shoulder, nor did it unseat her. If treated soon enough, she could be back in action in a day or two.

Then it all happened so fast. Kent couldn't really explain it, but he charged the man with a reckless, straightforward charge. If the man had turned around a fraction of a second earlier, Kent's blow would have missed, and then he'd be as good as dead. As it was, however, the paladin was too late, and Kent's lance pierced his chest, going right through.

The man let out a gasp of surprise, and slumped over. "No regrets… my life and death are my own…" whispered the man as he breathed his last.

Kent turned his attention to Fiora. She had landed, dismounted and had already pulled the spear out of her shoulder, trying the staunch the flow of blood. Kent quickly dismounted and produced a vulnerary, handing it to Fiora.

Fiora took the vulnerary, but dropped it as she tried to open it. She couldn't move her arm without causing excruciating pain. "Kent… I'm sorry…"

"It's alright. Please, let me have a look at your wound. Ah, forgive me, but I may have to remove some of your armor." Kent began to turn red, but Fiora just nodded. He had treated injuries before, but not on a female companion. Despite the mutual understanding, he still fumbled with the straps on her armor.

Once the shoulder guard had been removed, Kent was able to see the wound more clearly. It obviously wasn't fatal, and although there was some bruising from the impact, nothing had been seriously damaged. From Fiora's reaction, blood loss was the only real issue. He began applying the vulnerary to the wounded area, almost fumbling again on several occasions. Soon enough, the flow of blood had stopped, and the wound had been sealed – for the time being. "The surface wound has healed, but it would be wise to see a healer when we get back to the castle. It would be safe to assume that the assault on the castle is over, since hostile units have begun retreating. Can you ride?"

Fiora shook her head weakly. "It's not possible for me to fly the Pegasus in my current state. We'll have to walk the distance. I'm sorry for the trouble," she sighed ruefully.

"No, no, it's alright. You helped me when we first met on the Dread Isle, so think of it as me repaying the favour."

The two of them walked back to the castle in silence, with Kent supporting Fiora, their mounts behind them. Fiora was surprised that her pegasus let Kent come so close to her, considering how pegasi were usually jealous of others approaching their riders. Moreover, she felt secure – as if she wanted to stay like this forever. No other person had ever had the same effect on her. She couldn't understand why she felt this way. Being this close to the cavalier felt good, yet she knew it was improper.

Kent, meanwhile, was also confused. What was that strange feeling of rage that had come over him when Fiora was wounded? He couldn't explain it. It was as if someone had tried to take something very important away from him, and he had defended it with the savagery of a cornered beast. He looked at her, supporting herself on his arm. Why was she so important to him? Wait… since when had she become important in the first place?

* * *

And that's Chapter 3. Chapter 4 is currently in-progress, and i MAY wait until i have finished chapter 5 before i update this fanfic again, for continuity reasons. Having said that, it will be updated at least once more before Christmas.


	4. Chapter 4

After being told that Chapter 4 wasn't the best (to which i agree, i screwballed the whole part with Kent), uni started again. So i left this, and didn't really come back to it until a certain physiology exam popped up and i wanted to procrastinate until the literal 11th hour. It's quite extensively re-worked, with oswin instead if marcus, and also no Lyn (don't worry, she'll be back with her temper). The truth is though, not many of the previous readers may still be around, so this may be all a bunch of gibberish. It's a very different take, and something that i hope is a bit better. Go all out on the criticism if you like, although it would be nice if it was constructive. Chapter 5 is in the works, but to avoid a repeat of the previous version of this chapter, I'll take my time.

A note about titles: It's not ACTUALLY that much of an issue with the honorifics of "Sir" and "Dame", but given how Oswin seems quite into it, it's fair to assume that he would expect it of someone like Kent. Also, I just can't get the image of Oswin smirking outta my head.

Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, or Ewan's battle strategies (since there's no real concept of scouting in FE7 apart from fog of war)

* * *

Fiora lay on the bed and gave out a sigh of frustration. Priscilla had used her magic to discover a small fracture in Fiora's shoulder, and she was confined to bed for the next two days after listening to Priscilla explain the situation. "You need to rest and recover," Priscilla tried to explain when Fiora objected. "In fact, I think you should have your meal brought up to you tonight. Kent, if it's not too much trouble?"

Kent nodded stoically.

In some ways she was grateful for Kent's insistence that she see a healer. She knew that many a steadfast soldier could easily be incapacitated for life due to a poorly tended injury. At the same time, what harm could the fracture do? She closed her eyes, and tried to go through her thoughts in her head – especially her feelings for the cavalier. Both her and the cavalier were very similar in their outlook on life and enjoyed each other's company, but that didn't change the fact that they were in an armed conflict. The battlefield was no place for any sentimentality.

Get a grip on yourself Fiora, she inwardly screamed. He's a knight, and you're a mercenary. Even if he does feel what you feel, it'd never work out. Besides, what was it her trainer had said?

"Fiora, you are one of the most talented knights I've ever trained," she had spoken with admiration. "Why, I believe that someday you could become the supreme supreme commander of all the pegasi wings in Ilia! But let me tell you one thing. Too often have I seen a rising star such as you fall for another soldier, and five years later they are a single mother struggling to feed their children. Remember that – never let yourself fall in love. There's plenty of time after you've served your years."

Fiora knew that Kent didn't fall into the category of men her instructor had mentioned. But at the same time there was a ring of truth in those words. Fiora knew that few of the commanders were married, and of those none were active field commanders any longer. She also knew that they were all from noble houses or rich families, while Fiora was a commoner. Another part of the reason that commanders never married was that they were usually far too old to find prospective husbands, since few decent men stayed single until their early thirties.

There was a knock on the door. "Fiora?" the voice inquired. It was a male, but it wasn't Kent's. "Are you awake?"

"Come in," she replied.

The door opened, and Lord Eliwood walked in.

"Lord Eliwood, I am sorry for my blund…" she began, but Eliwood cut her off.

"Please, call me Eliwood. This is not a formal occasion, and I heard that you and Kent defeated the leader of the enemy. If anything, you should be commended for your efforts."

She signed audibly. "Yet here I am, confined to bed for the next two days," she lamented. "Ah, forgive my ranting, but what is your business here, Lord Eli… I mean, Eliwood?"

Eliwood laughed. "I like to pay a visit to all our comrades who are wounded after a battle, whether the injury be small or great. Sometimes I think Ewan is a little too cold, only thinking about the bare minimum we need to rest and recuperate."

"But that sort of thinking is guaranteed to win victories, milord," pointed out Fiora.

Eliwood frowned. "As I have already said, please drop the formalities. I prefer to treat everyone as equals, fighting for a common cause, regardless of age, gender or social standing. So how's your arm? I hear from Priscilla that you should be up and walking a day or two."

She just nodded, unsure what to say.

"My father once told me of your homeland, long ago. The ground of Ilia is covered year-round in the whitest snow, he said, and it is a harsh life for the people who live there. Yet because Ilians turn to being mercenaries, they are looked down upon – without reason – by other lands."

She smiled sadly. "Yes... But there is nothing to be done about it. No matter how many tears we shed, how much blood is spilled, the snow will not melt. When I think of the people of my homeland, I cannot but fight harder. I would do anything in my power to make their lives easier."

"Oh, look at the time! I still have to visit Bartre, and I should not be disturbing your rest. He's stout and strong, but needs to be a little more aware of his surroundings in battle. Canas mentioned that he was more terrified of Bartre than he was the enemies." As Eliwood turned to leave, he looked back and said, "I think you have a strong sense of responsibility, but you should not be too hard on yourself. As a soldier, you do have a duty to your country. But at the same time, it would be a tragedy if you sacrificed your own chance to experience happiness. Remember that, Fiora."

After Fiora left, she continued to mull on Lord Eliwood's words. Her duty was to the people of Ilia, but her chance at happiness? Did she think that Kent… was he?

Fiora kicked herself inwardly. Stop it! The two of you are fond of each other as comrades, nothing more!

Kent was tired. He had spent most of the morning fighting, and all of the afternoon worrying about Fiora's injury. Now, as he carried her dinner up to her, what he couldn't work out was why he had been so enraged when Fiora had been injured. He'd seen many comrades being injured in battle before, and he was always worrying about Sain's lack of self-preservation, but never had he been so angry before.

"Good evening, Sir Kent. Isn't it a little too early for supper?" Kent nearly tripped as Oswin's mellow voice brought him out of his thoughts and back into the world.

"Sir Oswin! My apologies! I didn't…" Kent stammered quickly.

Oswin raised a hand to silence the cavalier. "It's alright. I hear that you and Dame Fiora were able to stop the commander of the opposing force from escaping, and defeated him in combat. You should be commended for you efforts, at the very least."

"Yet, because of my inability, Fiora was injured," Kent countered ruefully. He didn't notice Oswin's brow frown a little when he referred to her by fist name only.

"Do not be so hard on yourself. From what you reported to us and what Heath told us about the man, his skills would be able to match Marcus. That the two of you were able to bring him down is an indication of your skill – and teamwork"

Kent hesitated at that word. Teamwork. Was that it? Was it because he and Fiora made such a good team that caused him to develop an attraction to her? "But Fiora and I have hardly known each other for more than a week."

"Yet you've already dropped the formalities when referring to her," countered Oswin evenly.

That one caught Kent off guard. He opened his mouth, thinking about some explanation he could make, but none came.

Oswin resisted the urge to smirk. It was unbecoming of a knight, especially a more experienced one, to smirk at a younger knight (let alone the perfect role model) when he was caught out. Of course, the fact that not referring to someone by their formal title didn't really indicate anything, apart from them being close – especially as Kent still somtimes referred to Sain as his "boon companion". However, Oswin preferred to err on the more cautious side, figuring it was better to be suspicious rather than assume nothing was going on.

"I… We…" Kent stammered. Dammit! Why couldn't he say anything!

Oswin smiled. "I know that both you and Dame Fiora are exemplary soldiers, and it would be unbecoming of me to assume that the pair of you are doing anything. But you should watch how your relationship progresses, and draw the boundaries before it is too late."

"I understand. Thank you, Sir Oswin, for you counsel."

"I do have one other thing to tell you. Always remember that soldiers are soldiers, and while they may be here one day, they may not be the next."

Kent looked at him, puzzled. "That goes against what you said earlier."

Oswin nodded. "So consider the two together, and you will understand." He looked at the tray in Kent's hands, and thankfully, the food was still steaming. Again he resisted the urge to smirk. "I believe that Dame Fiora is still waiting for her meal."

Kent turned red. "Y-Yes, I was going to deliver it now."

* * *

And so ends Chapter 4. I know, I know, still no fights. But I like to take it slowly, okay? There'll be one soon, and maybe a character death, but i'm sorta tossing up whether to get rid of said character early, or leave him/her hanging around to be used as another plot device later on.

Chapter 5 will be up... when its up.


	5. Chapter 5

Between uni exams and and swithcing over ISPs and uni starting up again, I really haven't had much time to do much. Heck, i was 2 months late in replying a personal message T_T". However, i do have an announcement of sorts to make.

When i started this fic almost 2 years back, i was a very different person. While i'm not entirely comfortable with telling my life story of those two years (nor do i think anyone would really want to hear), I will say that my writing style and preferred subject matter has changed somewhat. It now seems difficult for me to write about a subject matter that doesn't have some sort of dark twist to it. Let's face it: Farina was right on the mark when she called them "peas in a high-stung pod". Short of turning it into a "naughty/violent" sort of "M" rating (something i can't see two prudes doing), or deviating seriously from canon (which I really don't like: filling in gaps is okay, but disrupting canon is a personal no-no), there's not much i can really do to make the fanfic dark.

So this will be the last chapter for this fic i ever upload. Well, until there's a paradigm shift in my writing/thinking style. An especial sorry to Gunlord500, but really, i pick up a pen (or boot up MS-Word) and find myself writing other fanfics.

Heath's rhyming line made it sound corny, but i really couldn't work it. It made me laugh(in a bad way), but I couldn't think of anything that wouldn't alter the meaning. As for the solid ground thing, it just popped into my head.

Disclaimer: I own about as much of Fire Emblem as I do in Apple shares. Which is to say I own none of it. Microsoft-busting Linux Penguin FTW! Ironically, I use MS-Word to do a lot of my writing/editing. But I do hate Office 2007.

* * *

Of course, the meeting with Lord Uther didn't really help them much, as Ewan expected. He knew that action on such events could only be justifiable after there was tangible proof – which meant dragons in the skies. Then it would be too late.

Right now though, he was wondering whether Uther's advice was a joke or not.

"'Go and meet the living legend' who just happens to live in the biggest godforsaken desert on the continent," Ewan thought to himself sullenly. The knights had to lead their horses on foot, while most of the fighters had to trudge slowly, and ignore the sand filling their shoes. Essentially, this was the tactician's worst nightmare. If they were ambushed, the only people who could seriously put up a fight were the magic users – Lucius, Canas, Erk, and maybe Serra (Ewan thought that now might be a good time to test Erk's theory of death by screeching) – and the fliers – Florina, Fiora and Heath. Which of course he had to assign to scouting duty, as had he assigned anyone else they might be lucky to make it back the next day

While most people would assign a magic user with a flier to ensure each scouting pair had no weaknesses, Ewan had other ideas. He put Erk and Florina together, because of the three magic users, Erk had the most battle sense, and knew Florina the longest. Lucius and Canas – while not exactly the ideal patrol group, Ewan figured that between a druid and a bishop, there were few things that they couldn't handle. This, of course, left Heath and Fiora.

Ewan's reasoning was that it gave the final group a much-expanded capacity to scout further from the main group, even if it meant putting them at higher risk.

Fiora was worried. While it had only been two weeks and less than half a dozen battles since she had joined the group, the prospect of having to fight without Kent just… unnerved her. It wasn't that she didn't trust Heath. But then again, wasn't being flexible part of the job description of being a mercenary? She had managed before the cavalier had burst unexpectedly into her life, so surely she could manage now?

She was so lost in thought that she didn't hear Ewan's characteristic "move out", or see Heath approach her. "Yo… uh… what's your name again… Fiora? Hello?"

"O-oh! Sorry, Sir Heath, I didn't see you there. As soon as you're ready, we can sortie."

"Gee, for a pretty face, you sure are straight-laced. Just call me Heath. After all, I am a deserter," he chuckled. "Hyperion and I are gonna be waiting over there. Let you have a little alone time with your knight, eh?" He pointed behind Fiora, who saw Kent approaching them.

"What? Kent and I aren't…" she began as Heath smirked.

"Well, you did just tell me his name is Kent. Anyways, I'll be waiting by my wyvern. Just don't take too long, or Ewan will get annoyed."

Kent walked up to the Pegasus Knight. "Be careful out there, Fiora." He instinctively reached out, but his hand stopped short. It was inappropriate.

She nodded, unsure what to say. She wished he had reached out, but she understood. It was, of course, inappropriate.

* * *

As they were flying, Heath noticed something odd about his partner. "Hey, why do you keep checking the ground right below you? It's not as if we can miss something from up here, right?"

"It's a habit," she snapped, not even looking at him.

He looked at her, a bit taken aback by her tone. "Look, I'm sorry if you're offended about what I said between you and Kent. But seriously, it distracts you from scanning further out."

She straightened up immediately at the word distracted. "There's no need to apologise, Sir Heath. If anything, I should be apologising. It's just that I'm used to working with Kent, and part of it involves checking each other's position to make sure we're not too far apart. That, and I'm a bit on edge because…"

"…because he's not out here, am I right? And I told you already, it's just Heath"

Fiora nodded.

"I guess the two of you share quite the bond then. Have you known each other for long?"

"No, actually, we only met about two weeks ago."

"Given what you've said about him and that he bothered to come find you before you sortied, I'd have thought two years would be more appropriate. Anyway, forgive me for prying, it's just that it all seemed a bit odd."

"It's okay, Si- I mean, Heath. Besides, Sain's been making a lot more fuss about it."

"Yeah well, Sain makes a big fuss about anything involving the ladies," Heath took one last look toward the horizon. He saw a few odd shapes, but they were so far away, he figured it didn't matter. "Well, its all clear over here. Let's go back and deliver our report."

"Are we really that obvious?" Fiora thought to herself. "No, I mean, we care about each other – but as comrades, nothing more! We're not that attached!"

Yet there was some truth in Heath's words. It took her two years of bonding before her Pegasus would actually let her ride him. It another two years of training before she and him were able to work flawlessly as mount and rider. It took six months for her to get acquainted with her comrades in the 8th division, where she served as the youngest sub-commander. It took four before she could say the 5th division was completely under her control. Yet, with Kent, from the first battle, the affinity was right there.

And Kent had reached out… but stopped because it was inappropriate. Which was exactly the same thing she would have done if their positions were switched.

And then it came. The unmistakable cry of wyverns coming from the horizon that they had just checked a few seconds ago.

"Wyverns! And a lot of them! We've got to get back, or we don't stand a chance!" roared Heath.

Fiora didn't need to be told twice. This was one of those worst case scenarios – far away from the main group, and with a whole group of wyvern riders chasing them. At least it wasn't ballistae.

* * *

Meanwhile, back with the main column, not all was going as… smoothly.

"AAAAIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEE! It's soooooooooooooooooooo HOT!" shrieked Serra.

"Someone… get… this…banshee… to…shut… up… before… I… kill… her…" muttered the usually cheery thief behind her.

One also had to pity poor Raven, who was marching, no, trudging, beside her. Something hinted that he was about to add a third person to his to-kill list.

Ewan had put Hector and Nils toward the front of the column, Eliwood and Ninian in the middle, and Lyn toward the back. That way, should an attack befall any part of the column, at least one of the lords stood a good chance of escaping – well, as much a chance as they could of finding their way out of this desert.

Of course, as part of his duty, Kent stayed at the rear to protect Lyn. Even though Marcus and Isadora made up the vanguard, it still wouldn't hurt for him to be alert. Today, however, he found it difficult to concentrate, as Oswin's cautious (and somewhat contradictory) counsel a few days earlier had him puzzled. It wasn't that he didn't want to resolve the matter as soon as possible, it was more that he couldn't work things out from his end, so he didn't know what to say.

Now, although Lyn was like a fourth sister of Florina's family, she didn't know as much about Fiora than she did Farina or Florina, the reason being that she left to train as a Pegasus Knight quite early on. As Sacaens have very sharp eyes, she obviously did not fail to notice the small gestures going on between her retainer and the said Pegasus Knight. She looked at the cavalier beside her, completely lost in thought, and wondered what was going on.

"Kent? Kent, are you there?"

Kent suddenly snapped out of his distraction "I'm most terribly sorry milady, I should have been focusing on surveying the area around us."

Lyn sighed. "It's okay, Marcus and Isadora are veterans at this thing. And please drop this whole 'Lady Lyndis' thing. Anyway, I wanted to ask you something."

"Ask away, milady, and I will answer it to the best of my ability."

Lyn sighed again. At least when Sain kept the whole 'Lady Lyndis' thing up, he was dramatic. "How long have you known Fiora?"

Kent's eyes narrowed, but he quickly hid it. First Oswin, now Lyn. "That is quite a personal question, milady. I only met her when she joined this company. Forgive me if I am being rude, but may I ask why this interest in our acquaintance?"

"Nothing at all Kent, I'm just curious. The way you two fought on the Dread Isle, and how you took out Eubans suggested that you guys had met before. Plus, I saw you sitting with her that night we entered Ostian territory. So I thought that maybe you knew her from beforehand, like when some knights undertake mercenary work after being knighted to further their training."

Kent laughed. "The truth about the whole mercenary training business is that it can be undertaken anytime after you are knighted, provided your lord gives you leave to do so. As for Sain and I, our training came a little... late, shall we say, and it wasn't really a mercenary assignment either."

"You mean…" Lyn began, and Kent nodded.

"Yes, our mercenary 'training' happened to be escorting you from Sacae all the way back to Lycia, milady"

Lyn was about to open her mouth again when she realised that the column in front had started to fan out. Canas had returned, dragging an unconscious Lucius behind him.

Canas's robes had been a bit singed, but nevertheless he was alright. There was no visible wound on Lucius, but that was mainly due to quick thinking on Canas' behalf. There was, however, a tear in the robe on the left arm, and a deep red stain around it.

"There was an ambush of archers and mages down south. They attacked us but we drove them off. Lucius got hit by a stray arrow, but I've tended to it- mostly. The healers should look at it again, just to make sure.

Just then, the sound of Pegasus wings flapping indicated that the second party had returned. Erk hopped, no, fell off the Pegasus, looking a bit green.

"S-sorry everybody! B-but there's a big group of axemen coming in from the north. W-we managed to get away without getting into a fight."

"Erk didn't fare too well. Did he get hit?" Ewan asked

Erk stood up, still a bit green. "No, but I didn't take to well to riding a winged mount. They've got a few nomads among them too."

Ewan looked around. "Great," he muttered sarcastically. "The perfect spot for a defense. Nothing but sand for miles and miles around." At least it was a reasonably flat plain, so he could see around him for quite some distance. There was a small hut of sorts overlooking a cliff far to the south, but that put him in a predicament. If he moved down south, Heath and Fiora stood no hope of regrouping, because the archers would block their way. If he didn't, they would pincer him.

"Alright, this is what we're going to do! Erk, Canas, Serra, Dorcas, Bartre, Dart, Legault, Wil, Rebecca, Guy, Raven. Go south and take out that group of archers and mages. And quickly too! Once you've finished with that group pull back around the house.

The rest of you except Florina, head toward that hut and establish a defensive perimeter there. Matthew, I want you to be the eyes of this group make sure there's no more surprises waiting for us! Ninian, do your best to keep the stragglers moving."

"Why the house?" asked Hector.

"Because if someone can build a house there, it's solid ground," came Ewan's reply. "Everyone, move out!"

"E-excuse me, but what about me?" Florina gingerly asked.

Ewan gritted his teeth. "You are going to take me to your sister and Heath. We need to get them out of there as fast as possible."

* * *

And cut. Flame me for leaving it there. I don't mind, since i probably do deserve it.


End file.
